Lauren and Ben’s Waterfront Wedding in Austin

Lauren and Ben met during their freshman year of college at Texas A&M and were friends for 3 years before becoming a couple. When Ben finally asked Lauren to be his girlfriend (which was somewhat out of the blue), she asked if they should get to know each other a little better first and his response was “let’s just do this, we’ll get to know each other better over time.” Fast forward to their proposal, Ben had help from family and friends surprising Lauren at Mount Bonnell in Austin, where he had set up a “will you marry me” sign with rose petals everywhere. Lauren’s first reaction was to run away so she didn’t mess up someone else’s proposal, before realizing it was all for her. As her tears flowed, her family came out from their hiding spots and they celebrated their engagement at Ben’s parents’ house that evening. 

When it came to planning their wedding, Ben and Lauren wanted it to feel like a destination wedding without all the travel. Lakeway Resort & Spa offered the perfect venue for guests to have that “staycation” feel. One very sweet surprise during the planning process, Lauren revealed she was pregnant! Their wedding planner Abbie Hillis with ACH Events went above and beyond to make sure the day was perfect, including having a member of their team walk around with a tablet during the wedding to ensure Lauren’s sister Caitlin and her fiancé could be a part of the celebration despite living in Australia where COVID restrictions prohibited them from traveling to attend. 

Their waterfront wedding featured a mix of boho and elegant neutral florals by Mountain Laurel Floral to give the day a beachy summer feel, and the addition of gold accents and romantic lighting made the vision come together. Lauren’s glam was created by the hair and makeup experts at Think Brink Beauty, and rentals for the wedding were provided by Premier Event Rentals in Austin. The wedding and reception were beautifully captured by Mylah Renae Photography. According to Lauren, “Mylah has such a warm, welcoming personality that instantly makes you feel so much more comfortable in front of the camera – and she will hype you up the whole time!” 

“When envisioning my wedding day, I could’ve never predicted that I’d be almost 6 months pregnant with our surprise baby or that my sister nor Ben’s sister would be unable to attend and stand by my side. Surprises will pop up during the planning process, no doubt. Instead of stressing about them, find the beauty in them! I love that our sweet baby Jackson was with us in my belly on our wedding day. So beautiful, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”